On the slopes of the enchanting Ngong hills some 22 km southwest of Nairobi, Ngong is a striking mix of rich and poor.

The land originally belonged to the Maasai tribe but in the early 1990s the traditional herdsmen began selling it to new arrivals - professionals, entrepreneurs, government officials - from all over Kenya, who built elegant homes here. Housing is mostly in two-storey maisonettes on small plots of land; prices are comparatively low due to the distance from town.

The nearest social centre is Karen, a few kilometres down the Ngong Road towards Nairobi, but the famous Ngong Hills offer good walking and the possibility of seeing lion, buffaloes, warthogs and hyenas. Ramblers must be accompanied by a Kenya Wildlife Service warden. Ngong boasts a good range of small shops and other amenities, including a small post office and a petrol station. The area is well connected to the city centre by bus and matatu; a taxi into town costs around Ksh1,500.